Door-latch.



O. R. BULL.

DOOR LATCH.

APPLICATION-FILED AUG.8,1914.

1,126,700. Patentedfeb. 2, 1915.

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DOOR-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed August 8, 1914. Serial N 0. 855,866.

r IN To all whom it mgfij concern Be it knowrr that I, Onvrn R. BULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVithee, in the county of Clark and State of W'isconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Latches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings.

This invention relates to improvements in latches, and particularly to latches for swinging doors.

An object of this invention is the provision of a latch in which the latch lever thereof will automatically engage its keeper as the door is swung to its closed position, the latch lever having a" handle connected thereto which projects through the door by means of which the lever may be released from its keeper when it is desired to open the door.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a latch which will be extremely simple in construction, whereby the same may be cheaply manufactured, the latch being capable of quick and easy application to or removal from the door.

'With these and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the novel. construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved device showing the same in a position for use; and Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a portion of a swinging door, in which a vertically extending slot 2 is formed adjacent its free edge, and secured against the inner face of the door to one side of the slot is the angularly extending end 3 of a supporting plate 4, the supporting plate extending inwardly of the door in parallel relation with the inner wall of the slot 2. The inner end of the supporting plate is reduced, and pivotally connected intermediate of its ends to the extremity of the reduced portion of the supporting plate is a latch lever 5, the inner end of which is formed with a hook 6, and the outer end of which is offset laterally as at 7.130 space the outer end of the lever from the supporting plate. Projecting laterally from the upper edge of the supporting plate inwardly of the pivotal point of the lever is a lip or flange 8, which is disposed in the path of the outer end of the lever 5, whereby to limit the movement of the lever in one direction. T o normally maintain the inner end of the latch lever in 1115 lowermost position, and the outer end thereof engaged against the lip 8, a coiled contractile spring 9 is connected at one end to the lever adjacent its pivotal point, the spring being connected at its other end to the supporting plate below the lever and outwardly of its pivotal point.

Detachably connected to the outer end of the lever 5 is the inner end of an operating handle 10 which projects through the slot 2 to extend outwardly of the door, the projecting portion of the handle being twisted adjacent its end to provide a horizontal thumb engaging surface 11, and the extremity of the handle being looped as at 12 to provide a finger piece, whereby the handle may be readily moved downwardly to disengage the hooked end of the latch lever from the keeper which is secured to the wall inwardly of the door. The keeper comprises a plate 13 which has formed on one of its side edges a reduced laterally projecting extension 14 for engagement against the wall, the extension having a pair of spaced openings 15 formed therein through which screws or other fastening devices may be passed to engage in the wall, whereby the plate is secured to the wall in alinement with the latch lever. The plate is bent transversely adjacent its upper edge to provide a forwardly extending inclined flange 16 against which the hook 6 of the latch lever is adapted to initially engage upon closing of the door, and the plate is adapted to be screwed to the wall so that the flange 16 extends at the desired angle of inclination to extend in the path of the hook 6 of the latch lever.

In the practical use of my device, the parts of the latch are secured to the door and the wall in the hereinbetore described manner, and upon closing of the door, the hook 6 engages the inclined flange 16 and is raised thereby against the tension of the spring 9, until the hook passes the flange whereby the spring draws the inner end of the lever downwardly to engage the hook against the inner face of the plate 13 to hold the door in closed position. When it is desired to open the door, the outer end of the handle is grasped by the finger and thumb and moved downwardly against the tension of the spring 9, to disengage the hook 6 from the keeper plate so that the door may be readily opened upon an outward pull on the handle.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that I have provided a latch in which the latch lever thereof will automatically engage its keeper when the door is moved to its closed position, simple means being provided to readily disengage the latch lever from the keeper when it is desired to open the'door.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is A latch for swinging doors comprising a horizontally disposed latch plate secured against the inner face of the door, the side edges of the plate being disposed vertically, a latch lever having a hooked inner end pivotally connected intermediate of its the plate to normally hold the outer end of the lever engaged against said lug, a keeper disposed in the path of the hooked end of the lever and adapted to receive the same when the door is in closed position, and a handle connected to the outer end of the latch lever and projecting through the door, whereby the hooked end of the lever may be disengaged from the keeper against the tension of said spring.-

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my ORV'IE ROY BULL. Witnesses:

EDWARD HUNERJ'AGER, W. H. DRAKE.

signature in the presence of two witnesses.

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